Creative Direction & Digital Strategy
WSJ ViewFinders for Mercedes Benz C-Class
The obstacle Mercedes was faced with was finding a new market for the middle ground C-Class without simply forcing new imagery across social channels. The solution was partnering with WSJ Custom Studios to build a platform structured as a road-trip that reached new demographics in key-markets with over 30 editorial stories. Each story was focused on a tie-in to the automobile as well the subject matter, so instead of simply showing the hand-sewn leather seats, we profiled a leather-artisan in Massachusetts that has been making hand-crafted good for 25 years. The platform was huge success for MBUSA, as well as WSJ Custom Studios accounting for their highest readership time of any paid content to date and the project won a DIGIDAY for our video series created with the site.
Frank Clegg Leatherworks, in Massachusetts.
Architect Matthew Hufft, in Kansas City on a job-site.
Mission Cycling in San Francisco.
The new C-Class on Highway 1 in Big Sur.
Sydell Group - THE LINE LA Content Creation/Direction
By focusing on destinations in and around Los Angeles, as well as the travelers and their stories, THE LINE pushed the content stream towards why people travel and enabling creativity instead of simply highlighting amenities within the confinements of the hotel. Creating a new direction and imagery for Sydell Group and THE LINE LA, we built vast amounts of association through social media, particularly Instagram. Publishing takeovers from travelers and influencers, partnering with local LA events and trends, we helped solidify THE LINE as the K-Town hub for creatives and travelers alike.
StyleSeek - Creative Director
StyleSeek was an online platform powered by an algorithm-based "StyleGame" that produced a stream of content, products, and brands tailored to each individual by their results. Developing the StyleGame's backend fashion data, we were able to populate the results and trends into 30 plus dimensions to properly enable the sites functionality. Once fully functional, our team created everything from our core brand/voice standards, to logos, and even consulted on the UI/UX of the product. We developed all external facing marketing and client communication, and maintained partner relationships with our affiliates, clients, and fashion brands/retailers. Also producing growth initiatives through social, experiential, and programed press via established media relationships. The team ultimately created a stylish, helpful, and entertaining product that helped men define and cultivate their style.
THE FALL MAG - Social/U.S. Photo Director
Our focus for the launch of the London based THE FALL Magazine was on building real stories out of the collaboration between our artists in fashion, music, culture and film. Developing and creating a social media strategy for both the online editorial platform and social media channels that gave the viewer intriguing snippets into the full print edition without giving away the full story. In addition to social, producing and directing photos shoots for the US, including cover shoots for the printed Magazine including Sam Rockwell and Michael Shannon's editions. Overall building a story-driven website that matched the artistic integrity of the printed magazine, and it's contributors.
Oak Street Bootmakers - Brand Creation and Go-To Market Strategy
Taking Chicago based shoe company GVS Boots from it's prototype of a singular boot, to a fully fledged Made-In-America product-line took a complete rebrand and retooling. By creating a brand narrative from their family heritage as well as tying into a well-known Chicago street, Oak Street became a brand-able, easy to remember name that sparked conversation in the new heritage movement of the late 00's. Consulting on their product line, we grew from a single prototype shoe to over a dozen at launch. Directing a factory switch enabled the footwear categories to grow while still producing in the U.S., also connecting the brand to local Chicago staple, Horween Leather to source materials and build even more Chicago association. Once the footwear was produced, marketing became the main focus as we closely associated to the network of editors, writers, bloggers and even retailers out of the gate. Through personal relationships in the industry we seeded footwear to those connections. The outgoing support and promotion though those channels netted us a sold-out first collection with almost zero marketing budget. Additional write-ups in GQ, Complex, Gear Patrol, Esquire, and various retailers instantly showing interest in the collection, only sparked more and more demand into the next production run.
